Catalyst
by TheNovelArtist
Summary: For every change, there must be a catalyst to spark it. For Gabriel, that was Nathalie. Or rather, the fear of the lack there of.
1. Chapter 1

This was what rock bottom felt like.

"Master," Nooroo had said. "If she keeps using the miraculous, it will kill her too."

"I know that," he had spat back. "Which is why it is imperative to get Chat Noir's and Ladybug's Miraculous fast."

"Master," Nooroo said again. "What if you don't get them in time?"

"I will!"

Nooroo had been silent for the longest time before whispering, "Even at the cost of her?"

"It's not a cost if I don't lose her in the first place."

That had been the end of the conversation.

That had been before Nathalie had passed out.

That had been before the ambulance had taken her away.

"Master," Nooroo said. "If she continues using the miraculous, she won't have much time. And if you gain both miraculous, the ultimate power can only bring one back. Are you willing to bring back one at the cost of the other?"

Gabriel was silent.

"And if you do, will you regret it?"

That was truly the question, wasn't it?

* * *

The soft beeping was irritating. Exhaustion was begging her to come back under, but she fought it. Her chest was tight, like something heavy was crushing her, making it hard to draw a breath. She almost felt like she was choking, but she was too tired to cough.

She tried to force her eyes open, barely cracking them before the exertion turned her headache into a stabbing pain. She groaned.

"Nathalie?"

The voice sounded so familiar. But she couldn't place it.

"Nathalie!"

And that was the last thing she heard before she went under.

* * *

Gabriel stared at the peacock miraculous. The one that had taken the love of his life from him and was going to take his one steady rock, as well.

"Master."

"Yes, Nooroo."

"I think you know what the right choice is."

"I don't want to give her up."

"You're not," the little kwami assured. "Every human comes and goes. And most will leave someone behind. It hurts. But magic or no, you can't stop it. Not without consequences."

Gabriel continued staring at the peacock miraculous.

Silence filled the room for a long moment.

"Master."

"Yes, Nooroo."

"Are you going to make the same mistake twice?"

Gabriel blinked at him.

The kwami fluttered down to the desk to touch the peacock miraculous. "Are you going to let broken magic take someone twice?"

Gabriel stared at the miraculous a long moment, warring with what he had to do. It took so much energy to place it in a box and place a lid over top of it.

Nooroo smiled. "I'm proud of you, Master."

* * *

Adrien was worried. So worried. Nathalie had been in the hospital for two weeks now, fading in and out of consciousness. And Father…

Father was hiding in his office. Again. Just like when they lost Mom.

At least Hawkmoth hadn't sent out an akuma once in that time—which caused him and his lady to wonder just what was going on—but Adrien couldn't stand what was going on in his own home. So, after a pep-talk from Ladybug and a talking at by Plagg, Adrien knocked on the door to his father's office.

"Come in."

He opened the door. "Father," he greeted, shutting the door behind him. "I just wanted to see if you were okay."

"I'm fine, Adrien," he dismissed. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Adrien shrugged. "I just wanted to make sure," he said.

A short silence lapsed between them.

"Any news on Nathalie?"

At this, his father became still as a statue. "No," he answered.

Adrien sighed heavily.

"Is that all?"

With a nod, Adrien headed out the door again. "Well," he mumbled, as he shut the door behind him, "so much for that."

* * *

"Master."

"What is it, Nooroo?"

"Adrien's just as worried as you are."

Gabriel paused. "And?"

"You don't have to go through suffering alone."

"Who said I was suffering?"

Nooroo was silent, knowing better than to push his master.

Gabriel went back to his design pad.

"Are you going to make your son suffer alone?"

That got Gabriel to pause.

"Because he's hurting," Nooroo continued. "And he knows less than you. He doesn't know about a broken miraculous. All he knows is Nathalie passed out and hasn't woken up."

Gabriel stared at the door his son had disappeared out of. He was loathe to admit that Nooroo was right. Again. For the umpteenth time in two weeks.

But Gabriel didn't need Nooroo's prompting to know he needed to remedy it.

* * *

It almost hurt just how shocked his son was to see him in the car.

"Father," Adrien said, slowly climbing in the car. "What… what brings you?"

"I'm worried for Nathalie, too."

The shocking silence was tremendously uncomfortable.

"We're going to check up on her."

Adrien blinked. "What?"

Gabriel nodded. "I've been checking up on her condition daily. You can come with me today."

There was a silence that stretched on for a moment before Adrien's smile grew. "Thank you, Father."

Gabriel simply nodded.

* * *

Seeing Nathalie unconscious in the hospital bed was going to be his undoing. And his son's reaction was going to be the striking match to his gasoline. Gabriel watched from the doorway as Adrien stepped forward to Nathalie's bedside. He tentatively reached for her hand before sitting down in the chair Gabriel had taken up partial residence in over the last few weeks.

It broke Gabriel's heart once again that Nathalie hadn't moved. Not since that one time he thought she'd flinched and the doctors had to forcibly remove him from the room.

Not his finest moment.

Adrien turned back to his father, worry clear in his eyes.

Gabriel sighed, then shrugged before pulling over another chair to sit at Nathalie's other side.

And they stayed there for a good while.

* * *

"Nooroo," Gabriel said in the middle of the night after being woken from the countless nightmare in the longest sixteen days of his life. "Is there anything I can do?"

The kwami was silent. Hesitant silent. "One," he admitted.

"And that is?"

Nooroo was quiet once again. "Will you let me go for a moment?" he tentatively asked.

Gabriel narrowed his eyes at the kwami.

"I'll be right back," Nooroo assured. "I promise."

Gabriel let his eyes close. He was reluctant, but at his wit's end and desperate to make it stop, he didn't have a choice. "Go."

* * *

"I heard you were looking for me."

Gabriel looked up to see a short Asian man standing in his office. His brow furrowed. "How did you get in here?"

"Nooroo let me in," the man said with a smile.

And that's when Gabriel's eyes widened. The guardian.

"It is a pleasure to meet you civilly, Hawkmoth."

Gabriel was silent, mostly because he was so stunned.

"You have faced more magic than you can take, I'm certain."

He grunted. "The side-effects, more like."

The man smiled. "May I see the peacock miraculous, please."

Gabriel's eyes widened. The audacity of this man!

"Master," Nooroo said. "He can save Nathalie."

"What?" And in an instant, his anger melted away.

"The magic is not broken," the man spoke, strong and steady. "It is simply overwhelmed."

"What do you mean?" Gabriel challenged.

"When a miraculous holder is injured," the man explained. "The miraculous must take energy from somewhere to restore their holder. If someone steals the miraculous of an injured person, then the thief will suffer while the true wielder of the miraculous heals with energy stolen from the thief. I am not calling your wife a thief, but she was on the wrong side of the miraculous connection."

Gabriel's brow furrowed.

"And when Nathalie chose to pick up the miraculous," the man continued. "She was not supporting one, but two bodies that had passed on."

The words were like a hit to his chest, crushing his ribs and forcing all air from his lungs until his stood there lightheaded and numb. Everything around him faded away to the point he barely noticed the man give him a single nod. "No," Gabriel said, shaking his head.

"Denial is a powerful and terrifying thing," the man said.

And that's when Gabriel collapsed into a chair behind him, weak and powerless and empty.

"Gabriel Agreste," the man said, walking forward to stand in front of him. "I need to take back the peacock miraculous. No one deserves to suffer the fate of fading away simply because their energy is being stolen."

But Gabriel was numb. Empty. He could barely register the man's words.

"Master," Nooroo said, floating in front of Gabriel's face. "Master, it's time."

The world was gray and hazy but somehow, Gabriel ended up handing over the peacock miraculous to the man, feeling numb all the while.

"You are not all evil, Hawkmoth," the man said, taking the gem. "Let this be the first of many steps that proves it."

* * *

The pain wasn't as strong as before, and her exhaustion not as overwhelming. For the first time, she could clearly feel the mask on her face and the IV in her arm. She could hear the beep of what she assumed was a heart monitor. And she could recall that the last thing she fully remembered was Gabriel shouting her name while removing her miraculous.

That hurt her heart.

Slowly, her eyes drifted open, but the light was so bright, she shut them with a groan.

"Nathalie?"

It was a male's voice. One that was familiar but couldn't quite pinpoint.

"Nathalie?"

A hand came to rest on her arm, and then another set of hands on her other.

She opened her eyes again, only to see Adrien and Gabriel both looking down at her. She was able to keep her eyes open long enough to see Adrien grin widely and Gabriel sigh in relief.

"Tired," she mumbled, her eyes closing again.

"Then rest, Nathalie," Gabriel said, his hand squeezing hers tightly. "We're just glad to see you wake for a moment."

It wasn't long before she took his advice and slipped back to sleep.

* * *

Ten days later, Nathalie was able to go back home. Well, the Agreste's home. Gabriel had insisted that she stay with them to recover a little more, and Adrien had readily agreed.

"I'm fine," she had insisted.

But that had garnered a "don't argue with me" look from both Agreste men.

So, she didn't.

She sat in the back with Gabriel at her side while Adrien prattled on about school from the passenger's seat. When they arrived at the house, Adrien practically leapt out of the car, rushing around to her side to assist her out.

She almost argued that she wasn't helpless, but the realization that these two men were actually bonding over caring for her kept her mouth shut. With Gabriel at her right side, his arm looped through hers, and Adrien on her left, watching her like a hawk, they guided her up to her room for the next… undetermined amount of time.

Nathalie would cross that bridge whenever she got to it.

However, there was one issue.

"I can go get your things from your apartment, Nathalie," Adrien quickly volunteered.

She pursed her lips. "I'd rather you not go dig through my things."

"Oh," he said, rubbing his neck sheepishly.

But since it was clear he wanted to help, Nathalie didn't want to tell him no. It wasn't as though she didn't trust Adrien, she just didn't want a male digging through her private things. "If Miss Dupain-Cheng would help you to gather my clothes, I'll allow it."

Adrien lit up. "I'm sure she would."

"Go call her then," Gabriel said.

With a nod, Adrien headed out the door. Leaving Gabriel and Nathalie truly alone for the first time in a while.

"You had me so worried," Gabriel admitted, holding her hand in both of his.

"I knew the risks, and I took them," she simply answered.

"Never again," he said. "Never again will I come so close to losing you."

Her eyes widened as she turned to face him.

Before she could say another word, Adrien came back in. "She said she could come help now."

"Fair enough," Nathalie relented.

"Then your bodyguard can escort you," Gabriel granted.

A few minutes later, with Nathalie's apartment keys in hand, Adrien was off to collect Marinette before bringing back Nathalie's things.

Leaving Nathalie to lounge in her new room with Gabriel by her side.

"I gave up the peacock miraculous."

If Nathalie didn't know better, she thought she would have received an electric shock. And a large one, at that. "What?"

He nodded. "Back to the guardian."

Speechless was the best word for it. She wasn't sure how to react to such information. "So what now?" Nathalie asked after a long minute of silence.

"I'm not going to lose you again," he said, squeezing her hand tightly. "That's what's going to happen."

Nathalie felt her cheeks warm and her heart flutter even though her mind was screaming at her to stop. Gabriel had given his miraculous up before, but that didn't stop him from going back. Furthermore, it wasn't his that he gave up. He still held onto it. Onto that temptation.

 _Don't be a foolish woman a second time._ She warned herself. _Don't let yourself get hurt again._


	2. Chapter 2

With Nathalie recovered, the Agrestes finally released her to go back home.

A month later.

Had she been dealing solely with Gabriel, she probably could have convinced him to let her go within two weeks or so. However, that was not the case. Gabriel was always stronger with back-up. Particularly if that back up is his equally stubborn son.

Which meant that Nathalie was under their mercy. Mostly because she was too tired to fight them.

However, during her recovery, a bit of a tradition had started. One Adrien didn't seem to be willing to give up so soon.

"Are you staying with us for dinner, Nathalie?"

She turned around to be able to see him from the passenger's seat. The hope in his eyes was one she didn't particularly want to crush. It wasn't as though he was asking much, not like when he begged to go to school. He simply wanted her and his father to eat dinner with him and talk about their day. Very mundane things. It was simple, didn't require a lot of effort, and the food was always good, too. "I will be."

Adrien grinned before sitting back in his seat, bouncing his heel against the floor of the car. Where he had gotten this sudden energy, she didn't know. The bags under his eyes seemed to be slowly vanishing, too.

Dinner came, meaning that Nathalie sat down and joined the Agreste men to talk about the day and future schedules. Adrien made the occasional pun, and Gabriel was in a good enough mood to return a very tame one.

It still caused Adrien to light up like the sun.

Hoping to garner a similar reaction, Nathalie slipped a pun into the conversation as well, just to see Adrien beam.

"Good one, Mom."

And the table turned silent.

"I…" Adrien's cheeks turned a bright shade of red. "I mean, Nathalie."

Conversation slowed to a crawl as the remains of dinner was eaten. Once it was over, Nathalie quickly said her good byes and headed out the door.

Tomorrow would be like it never happened. Or, so she thought.

"I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable, Nathalie," Adrien said on the drive to school. "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to."

"It… it just caught me off-guard. That's all," she blandly assured.

It had caught all of them off-guard, Nathalie knew. It was a slip of the tongue. It meant nothing.

Until Gabriel assured her it meant something.

Her heart was still racing, even though she scolded it for doing so. Just because Gabriel pulled her into his office and told her that she was filling that space that Emilie unfortunately left behind did not mean all her dreams would come true in an instant. And she best remember that fact. Life was not a fairytale, though it did happen to have an insane amount of magic. More than she ever would have thought reasonable.

"Gabriel," she had said. "I am not a replacement."

"I never said you were."

She never was sure. Not since she had watched him desperately cling to the hope he'd get Emilie back. While he hadn't used his miraculous once since she had been released from the hospital, that didn't mean he wasn't going to resist the urge to fall back on it.

She'd seen him do it before.

So she kept her distance. She continued to eat dinners with them, but no more. She needed to pick and choose her battles, and that wasn't one worth fighting. Instead, she kept all her energy to fight her feelings for her employer and the motherly affection she harbored for her employer's son. And when she was weak, she simply reminded herself of the last time she let her feelings for her boss take over.

Contrary to Shakespeare's classic "love" story, killing yourself for love was a foolish thing. She'd never make that mistake again.

Hence why she liked working at her desk, when Gabriel was in his office and Adrien was at school and she was alone and away from both of them.

Until one of them decided to invade her space.

"You aren't heartless, Nathalie."

She looked up at her employer: the man she most definitely did not have feelings for.

"Stop acting as though you are."

She simply quirked a brow.

He quirked one right back at her.

She couldn't play stupid. They were both far too intelligent for that. "I am not a replacement."

"Again, I never said you were."

"I won't risk it," she said.

"Since when have I ever implied you were a replacement?"

"Never," Nathalie truthfully answered. "But you've proven you can't give her up. And I will not be a replacement for you."

His expression fell. "I'm sorry."

"Not as much as I am."

They were silent for a while.

"Would you give me a chance to prove I can change?"

"Are you asking me simply to trust you?"

"Yes."

Nathalie held her tongue until she could formulate an answer. "I trust you in many ways, Gabriel," she finally answered. "But not when it comes to matters of the heart. That is the one trust you've broken."

Silence.

"Then how do I best rebuild it?"

Nathalie quirked a brow. "Prove to me that I will have no reason to believe you'd break that trust again. Because I will not entertain the thought of giving you back that trust unless you repair the damage."

Gabriel opened his mouth to say something, but quickly shut it, turning away to rub his chin. "Very well, Nathalie," he said.

With that, he retreated back to his office.

When the door clicked shut, Nathalie slumped in her chair. Never was she more fearful for her heart than she was at that moment.

* * *

From the car, Gabriel watched his son interact with his friends. The boy that Gabriel had once banned from the house slung his arm over Adrien's shoulder, only to be quickly pulled away by a dark-skinned brunette. The boys waved good-bye, leaving Adrien with a girl Gabriel recognized as the young designer.

As he watched them, it became clear just how much Gabriel was missing from his son's life. Adrien was growing up. He had friends and interests all his own. One of those interests being said designer who was blushing as she tried to explain something to him. And Adrien simply waited patiently, listening all the while.

Gabriel almost hated to interrupt the moment, but they were going to be late for a photoshoot otherwise.

"Tell me, Adrien," Gabriel asked. "Who was that you were talking to?"

"Oh," he said, lighting up. "That's my friend, Marinette."

"Your _friend_?" Gabriel clarified.

He simply nodded.

Gabriel sighed. He really had failed as a father if his son wasn't even comfortable admitting the fact he was interested in a girl. Nathalie wasn't the only one he had to strengthen bonds with. "Adrien," he said. "It is okay to admit that you are interested in a girl."

Adrien whipped around to face his father, his jaw dropped and eyes wide.

Gabriel sighed. "I'm sorry I've made you feel as though you can't come to me with such information," he said. "And I hope that I can prove to you that you can tell me anything you need to."

Adrien expression twisted and turned as he processed that information and after some time, it contorted into a smile. "Thank you, Father."

Gabriel felt himself smile.

* * *

"Hawkmoth," Master Fu greeted, not standing from his spot. "What brings you here?"

Gabriel stared at the man a moment, clutching the box tightly in his hand. "You know very well why."

The man smiled. "I know _why_ you are here," he answered. "But I do not know what brings you here."

Gabriel closed his eyes a moment, gathering his strength before approaching Master Fu. "Nathalie asked me to prove to her I am trustworthy," he answered. "And my son deserves better from me than this." With that, he extended the box containing his butterfly miraculous.

The man smiled, taking the box and holding it carefully. "You are not all evil, Hawkmoth," he said. "And I'm sure that Nathalie, your son, and the entirety or Paris will be thankful that you are willing to go to such lengths to prove it."

* * *

Chat Noir followed his lady into Master Fu's home.

"He said he has something he wanted to show us," she explained, though it was clear that she was about as lost as he was as to the _why_.

"Ladybug. Chat Noir," Master Fu greeted, his hands clasped behind his back.

"We came as soon as we could," Ladybug said.

"It is only good news, I assure you," Master Fu said.

And with that, he pulled his hands out in front of him to reveal—

"Is that?"

"The butterfly miraculous," Master Fu answered with a grin. "Surrendered by the man himself."

Ladybug's brow furrowed. "He just gave it up?"

Master Fu grinned. "He did."

"And you didn't punish him?" Chat challenged.

"Why would you punish this action?" he answered. "He was comfortable enough to come forward and surrender his power."

"But he caused so much damage to Paris," Ladybug argued. "For years. Him and the other Miraculous holder."

"The peacock?"

"Yes."

With that, Master Fu pulled his other hand out from behind his back.

And both teens stood there in shock.

"Hawkmoth is changing," he said. "Do not punish him when he needs encouragement the most."

Ladybug was the first to shut her mouth and formulate words. "So what now?"

Master Fu smiled. "You are no longer needed for the city," he said. "However, I trust you two desire to retain your miraculous gems."

Ladybug's hands went to her ears just as Chat nervously fiddled with his ring.

"Just as I thought," Master Fu said, his knowing grin widening. "Take good care of Plagg and Tikki."

* * *

"If I was being honest," Chat said, walking along the rooftops with his lady by his side. "That was not how I thought this would end."

"You mean you had the entire final battle planned out?" she teased with a smirk.

He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced away, feeling his cheeks warm. "Yeah."

Ladybug snorted. "Dork."

They were silent for a while.

"But for the record," Ladybug said. "I didn't think it would end this way either."

Chat looked at Ladybug hide her smile from him. "So," he said. "Does… this mean… we…"

She looked up at him, her lip between her teeth. He couldn't bring himself to finish, but he knew she knew what he was trying to say.

And he found himself far more nervous than he thought he would be.

"Yeah," she said. "I… I guess so."

They stopped, facing each other.

"But not here," she said. "Meet me… um…"

"Eiffel Tower," he suggested. "Night. One of the top levels."

"Yeah," she said, giving him a shaky smile that he was certain he mimicked. "That. Let's do that. Tonight?"

"Tonight."

She nodded, then turned away with a bashful smile. If he didn't know any better, he'd say she was blushing, too.

Despite his own heart racing and fire searing his face, he still pulled her hand to his lips to press a kiss to it. When she whipped around at the action, she proved him right: she was wearing a blush. "I'll see you tonight, Milady."

She gave him a smile, one that was nervous yet genuine at the same time. "I'll see you tonight."

* * *

"I hope I raised you better than to stare at a girl."

Adrien jumped. Admittedly, having Father ride in the car on a regular basis now was taking some getting used to.

Well, so was the fact that Master Fu informed him that Hawkmoth had turned in his miraculous, leading to the reveal he'd always wanted and shook him to the core because his teammate was his classmate and holy crap he could not process the fact that he was so out of this girl's league it wasn't even funny.

"I may have failed a lot of things," Gabriel said. "but I hope I would have taught you better than to stare."

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck as he turned to face his father. "You did."

"Why don't you go _talk_ to her?" Gabriel asked. "Or did I fail in teaching you the art of conversation, as well?"

Adrien huffed a laugh. This new version of his father, the one he once was before mom passed, was going to take some getting used to, as well. But Adrien didn't mind in the slightest. Not if it meant actually having his dad back. "No, I can talk to her fine."

"That's not what I meant by _talking_ to her," his father clarified. "I meant in a more direct way. You can't expect a girl to be available forever."

It took a moment to fully realize what his father was talking about. "No, she's… she's just a friend."

His father rose a brow at him. That part was still scary. "Adrien. It is as clear as day you are interested in her."

"But she's not interested in me," Adrien said, his expression falling. "I've been trying for a while to pursue her, but I think I'm just coming off as annoying."

When Adrien lifted his eyes back to Gabriel, he noticed his father actually looked… sympathetic. He snapped out of it quickly enough and checked the time. "You best get to school," he answered. "We can talk more about this subject later."

Adrien checked his phone to confirm that yes, he did need to be getting to class. "All right. I'll see you after school, Father."

His father smiled back. "I'll see you after school."

* * *

Nathalie turned to look at Gabriel in the back seat. "Are you offering to give your son dating advice?"

He looked pointedly back at Nathalie. "Yes. Someone has to."

Nathalie smirked and turned away.

"And just what do you find so amusing?"

"Nothing, sir, I assure you."

* * *

Gabriel would admit that while it certainly wasn't his favorite thing to give his son advice on wooing women, it did noticeably strengthen their relationship. Adrien talked more openly about school and his friends and specifically the designer who had Adrien tripping over his own feet.

Gabriel couldn't help but shake his head at just how large of a love-struck fool this girl turned his son into. He hoped he hadn't been that bad with Emilie, but something told him he very well might have been.

However, this went both ways. Just as Gabriel learned more about his son, Adrien was observing more about Gabriel.

"Father," he began. "I…" he hesitated, clearly trying to find the right words. "You… have you ever thought… about dating again?"

While they _were_ talking about how to handle rejections and how to recover from heartbreak—even though Gabriel was certain that would not happen if Miss Marinette Dupain-Cheng's actions toward his son were any indication—he didn't know how his son got on that topic. "What makes you ask?"

Adrien shrugged, looking appropriately sheepish. "I just want you to be happy."

Gabriel paused, mostly out of shock. "I've considered it," he eventually answered.

Adrien looked back up from the floor.

"If I would," Gabriel tentatively continued, "would you see it as me trying to replace your mother?"

Adrien shook his head. "No," he said, his voice sure and steady. "I know you wouldn't. Neither of us would."

Gabriel gave his son a small smile. "I'm glad," he answered. "That…" he cleared his throat. "I feel more comfortable in considering the possibility of pursuing a woman now that I know."

Adrien's smile widened and his shoulders relaxed. "I'm not trying to pressure you."

"I know you aren't."

"I just thought… with our conversations about dating and such…"

Gabriel simply nodded. "I know."

They lapsed into silence. A rather comfortable one. Gabriel didn't feel the need to talk, but he didn't quite feel ready to leave. And it seemed Adrien didn't either.

So they stayed in silence, lounging in their respective chairs until Nathalie announced that it was time for dinner.


	3. Chapter 3

"I gave up the miraculous."

Nathalie dropped her tablet. His confession wasn't out of the blue. No; she'd commented on how he's changed. The way he altered his every schedule to include more time for Adrien and his activities had proved it. But this…

She hadn't suspected…

"When?"

"About six weeks ago."

Nathalie blinked once again. "I…"

Not often did she find herself so speechless. This was one of those rare occasions.

"I did it for you," he eventually said. "You have to know."

Her heart picked up its pace in a way that scared her. The heat on her cheeks was uncomfortable, causing her to worry about if he could see it or not. "What about Adrien?"

Gabriel's gaze hit the floor. "I… It became apparent just how much I had failed him, just as I had failed you." His gaze returned to hers, the blue of his eyes surprisingly intense. "You were my catalyst."

Her heart beat double-time. Her breath was coming in short bursts. Her cheeks warmed.

And that all worsened when Gabriel reached for her hand. "I have the feeling you wouldn't be so willing to restore that trust in me after being hurt, no matter how unintentionally I meant it. But I will continue to prove to you that I won't hurt you this time. Never again."

With that, he pressed a lingering kiss to her knuckles that made her immediately want to throw caution to the wind. But for now, she'd pretend she had everything together. "Thank you, sir."

" _Nathalie."_

" _Sir,_ " she repeated. "As you so eloquently put, I have yet to be willing to return the trust to you that you have broken. I knew better than letting you have that trust in the first place. Give me time to be willing to give it again."

His eyes closed momentarily as a frown tugged his lips downward. "I understand, Nathalie," he assured, giving her hand a squeeze. He looked back up at her, his gaze intense. "And I suppose it is by my own actions that I must wait." He let go of her hand and took a step back. "I'll be in my office. Can you please send me the reports I need?"

"Of course, sir," she said, turning back to her own desk.

She waited until he completely disappeared from sight before allowing her ridged posture to fall. She took her glasses off, which meant she could lay her head on her arms more comfortably. And she gave herself a long moment to compose herself before straightening and getting back to work.

* * *

"I don't know about this, Father."

"Trust me," Gabriel assured. "You are never going to know for a fact that she dislikes you if you do not ask her."

"But are you sure this is a good idea?"

"I think it is long overdue."

Adrien frowned as he turned to look out the window.

Gabriel placed his hand on his son's shoulder. "Adrien, from what you have told me about Miss Dupain-Cheng, she is not the kind of girl who would play with your feelings intentionally. Ask her, Adrien. You will never know otherwise."

Adrien turned back to him, nervousness clear on his expression.

Gabriel sighed. He supposed this was his doing. When he made the decision to shelter Adrien, he did not expect the consequence to be causing a seventeen-year-old boy to be terrified to ask out a girl who clearly had a crush on him.

"Adrien," Gabriel said. He had caused this,meaning he was going to have to fix it, even if it took extreme measures. "I understand your predicament."

"With mom?" Adrien asked.

Gabriel sighed, then glanced toward the driver. "You never heard any of this, Arthur," he pointedly commented.

The man grunted his affirmation.

He turned back to Adrien. "Do you remember when you asked if I would ever consider dating again?"

Adrien nodded, his head cocked in confusion.

"Well," Gabriel said. "There is a woman I…" he cleared his throat. "That I may see a future with."

Adrien's eyes widened.

"And I did not know her feelings," he continued. "Until I asked her."

"And?" Adrien pressed.

Gabriel pursed his lips. "She gave me her answer."

Adrien frowned as his brow knit together. "That doesn't sound very convincing."

"It wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear," Gabriel admitted. "But she didn't tell me 'no' either. The point being, Adrien, that you will never know a woman's feelings unless you ask. If she tells you no, then no matter how hard it is, you must respect it. If she is rude, then she gave you her true character, and no woman like that is worth pursuing."

Even though he still looked nervous, Adrien gave him a nod. "Understood, father."

"Finally," Gabriel continued. "If she gives you the difficult answer of a 'maybe' then you must be careful in your pursuit of her. I believe I've given you enough advice for you to navigate that minefield. But if I haven't, I hope that you would be comfortable coming to me to ask."

Slowly, a soft smile crossed Adrien's face. "I will."

Gabriel gave his son a smile, one that was a mix of proud and happy. "Now, you best go get your answer from Miss Dupain-Cheng. Like I have said before, a woman will not wait for you forever."

While still nervous, Adrien grabbed his bag and hopped out of the car. "Thank you, Father."

"Have a good day, son."

"You, too, Father." With that, Adrien shut the car door and headed off toward the school.

Gabriel smiled, but it was bittersweet. His son had grown up, old enough to pursue a woman and nearly old enough to be on his own. When had that even happened? It was as though just yesterday, Adrien was toddling around the mansion.

With a sigh, Gabriel sank back into his seat. "Take me home, Arthur." He'd find something else to occupy his time than fussing over nothing.

* * *

Nathalie smiled as Adrien talked all about his girlfriend on the way home. It had been like this for two weeks now, but it wasn't obnoxious. Nathalie could tell that Marinette was really good for Adrien, and from what Nathalie could tell, Adrien was good for Marinette, too.

"So I've been meaning to ask," Adrien said, rubbing the back of his neck. "If, since I'm free on Thursday night, if I could take Marinette out… on a date."

Nathalie looked over her shoulder at Gabriel.

"Yes, you may. Nathalie, please put that in Adrien's schedule."

"Of course, sir."

It gave her a hint of satisfaction every time she addressed him as such. She'd noticed that the title irritated him ever so slightly. But she couldn't use his name. Not yet. Not until she was ready to take that step.

And he knew it.

She turned back to the front, away from him. One day, she would give in. She couldn't hold out much longer. Her heart wouldn't allow it.

* * *

"Should I get her flowers? I don't know. Maybe? Plagg, help."

Nathalie chuckled. She really shouldn't be listening outside Adrien's door, but she couldn't help it. The poor boy had been frazzled ever since he'd confirmed Marinette accepted his offer to go out on Thursday. And while Gabriel had tried to help, Nathalie knew the man could only offer so much advice.

She knocked before entering. "Adrien?"

He paused his ranting to the little plush cat that he kept on his bed. Likely given to him by Miss Dupain-Cheng herself some couple years ago. "Come in, Nathalie."

She entered, Adrien standing with his shoulders tight and back rigid with his hands in his pockets.

"I couldn't help but overhear your plight," she began.

Adrien's eyes widened.

Nathalie gave him a soft smile. "Take a seat," she coaxed.

While clearly uncertain, Adrien did as directed.

Nathalie took a seat beside him and waited a moment for him to relax. "Women like being romanced," she began.

At that, Adrien's eyes widened at her while his jaw fell unhinged.

Nathalie smiled and gave him a nod. "Women like knowing that a man cares, whether in the big things or the small. Women also like knowing that a man is able to care for them."

After a moment, Adrien's gaze fell to the floor. "She's strong enough to handle herself, though," he said.

"That doesn't mean we don't like when a man cares for us," Nathalie clarified.

Adrien's gaze returned to her.

"Most—if not nearly all—women like having a shelter," she explained. "We like having a person who cares for us. A strong woman is no different in that respect. Don't mistake coddling and protection for 'shelter'. While there are times a strong woman wants that, too, it's not the sort of shelter we constantly require. Strong women need a support pillar. We like knowing that the man we let into our lives is there to encourage us. We need a place to escape when the world gets the better of us. We like knowing that a man is there to care for us in that respect." She shot him a smile. "We also appreciate when a man cares for us as in making sure we're fed or that things are in order so we don't have to handle them."

Adrien smiled.

"So," Nathalie continued. "Prove to her that you can be her equal. That you are her support. That you have her back and are by her side and sometimes are leading her along. If she's a good woman, Adrien, you'll find she will do the same for you."

Adrien's gaze sank to the floor once again, but Nathalie watched him let her words sink in.

"That all being said," Nathalie added. "Most—if not nearly all—women like being pursued. The thoughtful gestures mean the most. In the case of 'should you or should you not get flowers,' I would suggest that you should, but be considerate when you do. Do you know her favorite? Do you know if she likes certain colors? Does she happen to know meanings of them? Or did a certain flower or bouquet make you think of her. Think of those things in your quest to get her flowers."

"You make it sound difficult," Adrien commented.

"Falling in love with someone is easy," Nathalie said. "Caring for that love so that it does not wither or die is not. But the greatest things in life are not easy, Adrien. If they are, you should be looking for the catch."

Adrien's lips pursed in thought. Slowly, his eyes lit up and a smile spread across his face. "I got it," he said decisively, standing from his seat. "Thanks, Nathalie."

"Adrien," she called out, causing him to pause.

"Yes?"

She smiled. "I'm happy for you."

Adrien's smile lit up the room like the sunshine. He turned around to hustle back over to her, only to wrap his arms around her in an awkward sort of hug.

It took a moment for Nathalie to return it.

"Thank you, Nathalie," he said. "For everything."

Her smile grew as she settled into the hug. "You're welcome, Adrien."

They stayed a short moment longer before Adrien removed himself and scrambled out the door.

Nathalie stayed sitting for a while longer, smiling at the door Adrien had disappeared out of. Eventually, she pulled herself together, recalling she did have other work that needed to be done. She stood and walked from the room.

Only to get the shock of her life when she nearly ran into Gabriel when she walked outside the door.

"Sorry," he quickly apologized.

She gave her racing heart a moment to calm before dropping her hand from her chest and looking up at him. "What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't help but listen in the conversation," he admitted. "I was going to talk with Adrien myself, but it seems as though you beat me to it."

"I'm sorry I interrupted time with your son, then."

"Don't be," he said. "I think that it was good for him to receive such advice from a female and not his father."

"I didn't tell him anything special."

"Of course not. But it was still good advice."

Nathalie shrugged. "Is there anything you would like me to do, sir?"

Gabriel frowned. "One thing," he said.

Nathalie quirked a brow. "And?"

"Tell me," he began, and the way his eyes locked on hers suddenly had her fearing for her heart. "How long have you held onto those words?"

Her breath hitched, and her heart started picking up its pace again. "What do you mean?"

"I mean your tone was far too sincere for something you thought out logically."

"It is all logical."

"I never said it wasn't logical. But your tone proved it wasn't a purely impassive speech." He quirked a brow. "Those were words you've held onto for some time."

She begged her heart to calm down and her hands to stop sweating. "What are you implying?"

Gabriel paused, clearly finding the right words. "Have you ever been in a relationship, Nathalie? Or have you always told yourself you don't need one?"

Nathalie quirked a brow, hating just how close his shot in the dark hit to the truth.

"You're a very logical person," Gabriel continued. "Very capable of anything you set your mind to. Very capable of working under harsh conditions and keeping a level head. But if I were to guess, your logic got the better of you and you never pursued a romantic relationship."

She was silent for a while, begging her mind to formulate a response. "I never thought it necessary," she finally stated. "People can live a perfectly fulfilling life without a relationship."

"You don't believe that."

She fought the urge to bite her lip. "Not now."

Gabriel hummed, his expression softening. He reached for her hand, carefully taking hold of it and lifting it to his lips in order to press a reverent kiss to her knuckles. "My feelings have not changed," he whispered. "But I will not push. You have made your stance perfectly clear, and I will be patiently awaiting the day you are ready."

Nathalie held his gaze for the longest time. "Give me time," she returned, her gaze falling as her cheeks heated up. "To trust myself to fall again."

"Be assured, I will catch you this time."

"Catching me isn't the issue."

Gabriel frowned. "Fair enough," he said. "And that is solely my fault."

"I knew better in the first place."

"I still failed you," he countered. "In every way imaginable. It is solely my fault."

Nathalie was silent. They stood there a moment longer before Nathalie squeezed his hand and retracted hers from his grasp.

"I hope one day I prove myself to you," Gabriel said. "But despite what I wish, I know that day is not anytime soon."

Nathalie sighed. "Keep this up," she said. "And it will be… _Gabriel._ "

And she walked away quickly before he could respond.


	4. Chapter 4

A lot can happen in six months. For one, Gabriel watched his son turn eighteen, meaning that legally, he was no longer a child. That alone was terrifying for Gabriel. He could only hope that Adrien was not corrupted by some less-than-beneficial influences.

However, on that same point, Gabriel could say with confidence that his relationship with his son had grown. Adrien would come to him for most things, even being so open as to admit he didn't want to go to a party one of his model co-workers was hosting simply because he knew it would be nothing but drinking, and while Adrien was slowly gaining a taste of fine wines—Gabriel had to admit he enjoyed sipping a glass with his son after a hard day—he was cautious of the fact alcohol has side-effects.

"I just don't want to be the only responsible person there," Adrien had said. "Could I take Marinette for a night out instead?"

That was the other thing that had changed. Adrien and Marinette had basically become inseparable. Gabriel had gotten the opportunity to watch the two of them interact on many occasions, and he had seen married couples be less respectful, observant, and considerate toward each other than Marinette and Adrien. Their bond sparked new worries. Mostly, Adrien being a love-struck fool and buying a ring before either were truly ready.

"Sir," Nathalie quickly corrected him when he had expressed his concerns to her. "You do realize that you were nineteen when you bought an engagement ring for a certain woman, do you not?"

"Yes, but Adrien shouldn't take me as an example."

"Not even when you were happily married for, oh, how many years?"

Gabriel leveled a look at Nathalie. The corners of her lips were quirked up in amusement while she rose a single brow in challenge.

He had simply glared at her before returning to his work.

"I happen to like Marinette," Nathalie said.

"I do, too," Gabriel agreed. "Very much. She's got a good head on her shoulders as well as some well-honed talent."

"And she and Adrien get along immensely well."

"What are you implying?" Gabriel asked.

"Simply that I don't think it would end poorly should Adrien act rashly."

Gabriel hummed in thought.

Nathalie's smile turned sincere. "Gabriel," Nathalie said. "Adrien is growing up, and he's going to make many mistakes. He could be making much worse ones. Marinette is hardly a mistake."

"I… suppose you're right," Gabriel conceded.

"As per usual."

"As per usual?" Gabriel challenged, his heart taking an odd sort of jump at the playfulness in her tone.

"As per usual," she repeated, her smile growing as she turned and walked out of his office.

He couldn't help the smile that rose on his lips. "As per usual," he mumbled.

* * *

With the summer release right around the corner, that meant one thing: events. Lots and lots of events. One of the biggest being a fashion event that wasn't hosted by Gabriel but by another designer.

"It's a couples' event," Nathalie informed Gabriel. "I know you usually avoid those—"

"Not this time," Gabriel said. "It would be a good event for Adrien to be at. Furthermore, with the guest list you sent me, it would be a good opportunity to mingle with new investors."

"Agreed," Nathalie said, tapping her tablet screen. "However, it is a couples' event. A date is mandatory."

His eyes locked with hers, and her heart started racing. "Sir," she began.

"Nathalie, it doesn't have to be anything more than us going as business partners."

"It's not that," she countered. "Do you really want to have me as your date? It will cause speculation."

Gabriel frowned, his gaze hitting the floor in thought. "Only if you are comfortable with such scrutiny," he continued, "will I ask you to be my date."

Her heart tripped. "I simply don't want to cause you to be the center of speculation and attention."

"The gossip is unavoidable no matter who I go with," Gabriel stated. "I've been single for so long that me appearing with any woman will be the talk of Paris."

"And you're certain that you are comfortable with that woman being me?" she asked. "As I am known to be your assistant."

"In which case, it can easily be dismissed that we are business partners only."

The look in his eyes, though…

To him, it wasn't just business partners.

Nathalie tried to keep her breathing even. "Well," she said, trying to find her voice. "Then I will accept your proposition to be your date for the evening."

She forced her gaze to fall to her tablet. Better than letting his smile cause her heart to beat irregularly. "It's settled then. I will begin designing your dress immediately."

"Very well, sir." With that, she spun on her heel and began marching out the door.

"Be certain to inform Adrien," Gabriel called to her. "So that Marinette will have enough time to design her dress. Furthermore, inform him to let Marinette know I would like her to run her final design by me."

"Very well, sir," she said, making note of it in her tablet. She dared to turn back to him. "Anything else?"

She regretted her decision almost immediately. "How do you feel about red, Nathalie?"

* * *

Gabriel should have had Miss Dupain-Cheng do this. It might have been more comfortable for all parties involved, and Gabriel would have had enough faith in her to complete the task. But no, he was a designer and there was nothing wrong with taking a person's measurements for a garment.

Unless that person was Nathalie.

Even though she was doing well in schooling her features, the dusting of pink on her cheeks gave away her discomfort. So Gabriel did what he thought best: completely ignored it and pretended it wasn't making him uncomfortable either.

"Finished."

Gabriel knew Nathalie well enough to tell she was frazzled even though she looked perfectly composed as she slid on her jacket immediately and wrapped it around herself tightly. "Have you chosen a final design?" she asked, clearly trying to make conversation to mask the awkward tension in between them.

"Yes, I believe I have," Gabriel answered, playing along. She still hadn't given him permission to pursue any more than what they had. He tried to be polite about measuring her, trying to keep focused and not let his mind wander to her exact measurements and how her body was perfectly formed and—

He scolded himself.

"May I see it?"

"Maybe I prefer it to be a surprise."

Nathalie rose a brow. "But what if—"

"Have a little faith in me, Nathalie," Gabriel asked. "I know your tastes well enough. I know you lean toward more conservative designs, both in terms of modesty and style. I may not be strong in reading people, but I _do_ know their taste in fashion."

She smiled. Gabriel thought she didn't smile enough. She had a lovely smile that seemed to take all her tension away and made her seem far more relaxed. More approachable. "Very well, sir. I suppose I should credit you that."

* * *

Nathalie had to admit she was perfectly terrified to try on her dress for the event.

No, she wasn't worried about the dress itself. She was certain it would be lovely. It was her heart and the fact it would be acting up at the fact Gabriel had made a dress for _her._ For an event he was taking her to. And that the only other person he had ever done that with was his wife.

This was going to be really hard on her heart and push her self-control to the edge. She could resist this. She could resist.

And that self-control weakened along with her knees the moment she saw the dress. There were no frilly embellishments on it. No diamond glitter or glitzy embroidery. However, the way the fabric wrapped around her torso was all the detail it needed to look high-end. That fabric draped off her hips, hugging them tight enough to show off her figure, and cascaded outwards into a flattering A-line shape thanks to a few layers of tulle underneath. The neckline was wide—wide enough to drape over her shoulders and nearly double as cap sleeves—as well as high, only dropping just below her collarbone. The dress was fancy, but it wasn't screaming "elite" or "money". The design quietly stated "sophisticated" and "classy."

It was the blood red color that screamed "power."

She entered Gabriel's office so he could see it. Her heart was racing, and she was sure she was blushing. Still, she held her head high and looked at him in wait for his approval.

Which, by his silence and slightly widened gaze, she had received.

He cleared his throat. "It suits you perfectly, Nathalie."

She nodded, her cheeks warming further. "Thank you. It's beautiful."

"It's beautiful on you," he commented.

She had to remember to breathe.

He eventually remembered he had to make sure the dress was perfectly tailored to her. So she stood still as he placed a couple pins here and there.

And then he pulled out a pair of shoes to hand to her. "I thought these would go best with the dress."

She took them, stunned and certain she didn't want to see the price tag. Gabriel offered her a chair, and she hitched up her dress in order to put them on. They weren't tall heels, but they still added to her height. The red of the closed-toe pump matched the dress perfectly.

She stood once again, taking a few test steps in them. They were as comfortable as any other heel, maybe slightly more thanks to the cushioning.

"Do they fit well?"

Nathalie nodded. "They do."

"Good."

From there, Gabriel pinned the hem of the dress. It allowed her a moment to regulate her breathing and command her heart to steady.

"Finished."

Gabriel stood once again, bringing him face to face with her.

Shame. All her work was for not.

"Is that all, sir?"

His lips pursed in thought, and Nathalie recognized it as his "designer's scrutiny" look.

"Do you have any silver jewelry that would fit this?"

"No. I never found jewelry practical."

He hummed. "Of course," he mumbled, his eyes narrowing once again. "Then I will find some pieces to match the ensemble."

"Very well."

His gaze then shifted to her hair.

She rose a brow, hiding her worry but not her curiosity.

Slowly, he circled her, stopping behind her and placing his hands in her hair. She stood still even though she knew what he was doing when she felt him remove the very first of her bobby pins. One by one, he removed them, her bun loosening each time. And she stood still, her heart pounding while she cursed herself for not stopping him.

Finally, her last pin was tugged free, and her hair spun out of its bun, cascading down to her middle back.

Why didn't she stop him?

From there, he circled her in order to face her. She let him drape her hair over her shoulders, twisting it between his fingers with great care.

Her heart was doing very unacceptable things right now.

When he looked back up to meet her gaze, she wanted to toss her resolve to the wind and let him pursue her.

Maybe… maybe she would.

"You should wear your hair like this," he quietly said.

"For the event?" she clarified.

He nodded. "It gives you a softer look."

"Is that a good thing?" she asked.

He paused. "You have a commanding presence," he said. "Softening your appearance simply makes you more approachable."

Nathalie quirked a brow. "Do I need to be?"

"Between the two of us, we need to come off as approachable as can be."

Nathalie couldn't tamp down her smile. "Well, I suppose that's true."

Gabriel gave her a smile, and her eyes fell to the floor before that smile caused any more damage to her.

His hand found hers and lifted it to his lips to press a gentle, lingering kiss to the back.

Her cheeks were far too warm for her liking. "I… I should change back so you can finish the alterations."

He let her retract her hand. "I suppose you're right," he agreed. "Do you like the dress, at least."

She looked down at it, admiring the beautiful red fabric and the detail it was draped into. "It's beautiful, Gabriel," she said.

And she left before she could see his reaction to his name.

* * *

This was the closest thing to "girls' time" as Nathalie had had in a very long while.

Honestly, how she ended up here, she still didn't know. But here she was, in Marinette's room, doing each other's hair and make-up as though they were at a teenager's slumber party.

She supposed it could be far worse. Marinette was a wonderful girl, so there were far, _far_ worse people she could be spending this quality time with. And it wasn't like they weren't being practical. They did have to get ready for the event, so helping each other with their hair wasn't frivolous.

Just as Nathalie finished lacing up the back of Marinette's dress, the Agreste limousine arrived.

"Time to go knock them dead," Marinette said. The way she shuffled downstairs with a beaming grin proved her eagerness to see Adrien.

Nathalie couldn't retain her smile. If Marinette and Adrien weren't engaged in a year's time, she would be surprised.

She made it down just in time to watch Adrien's jaw drop at Marinette's dress: red and frilly and detailed to the nines with beading and ribbon. Marinette looked every bit a high-class model, though she didn't act like one, thank goodness. Nathalie couldn't think of a better match for Adrien.

She descended the stairs the rest of the way, drawing stunned looks from both Agreste men.

"Nathalie," Gabriel said after a long moment. He approached her, took her hand in his, then bowed to kiss it. "You look stunning."

She couldn't help her blush. "Thank you."

The event was across town, and the ride was filled with chatter from Marinette and Adrien, Gabriel and Nathalie chiming in occasionally.

When they arrived, Marinette and Adrien got out of the car first, drawing most of the paparazzi's attention. They were a devastatingly adorable couple, after all. Nathalie worked hard to ensure the tabloids would portray them as the sweetheart couple. It didn't take long for every magazine and blog to take that hook and run with it, agreeing whole-heartedly.

Paris just devoured it.

"Unfortunately," Gabriel began, turning away from looking out the door to Nathalie. "We are also required to make our appearance."

Nathalie begged the butterflies in her gut to settle. "Let's go, then."

Gabriel wore his usual stoic expression, and Nathalie pasted on her own. He assisted her out of the car, and before Nathalie could properly place her hands on his elbow, the cameras were focused on her.

"Just keep walking," Gabriel said, leading her onwards down the red carpet.

Nathalie followed his lead, grasping onto his arm tightly, mostly out of nervousness. She was used to having cameras flash, but none of them were particularly taking pictures of _her._ She was always an afterthought, someone caught accidently in a photo and usually cropped out.

This time, it was quite the opposite.

She was so thankful when they made it inside, away from the cameras.

Gabriel placed a comforting hand over her own, patting them reassuringly. "You did well, Nathalie."

She gave him a small smile before they were immediately bombarded by people eager to talk to them. Nathalie quickly fell into a comfort level revolving around discussing business and numbers and occasionally impressing the company that surrounded her.

And Gabriel simply smiled with pride. Was this what it was like to have a man show off his date? It certainly felt like it.

She liked it.

Somehow, they ended up on the dance floor, likely to appease the people teasing them that they'd been talking business all night instead of actually enjoying the party. Nathalie supposed the dance doubled as a time to subtly check in on how Adrien and Marinette were doing.

"They seem plenty happy," Gabriel mentioned.

They took a couple steps so Nathalie got to glance at the young couple. "I believe that is an understatement."

Nathalie stole a look at Gabriel. His smile was split in amusement. "Yes, I suppose so."

"You're going to have a daughter-in-law in two years, mark my words."

He hummed. "As long as they hold off giving me grandchildren immediately," he relented.

Nathalie smiled. "I think they would agree with that sentiment. They do seem to have decent heads on their shoulders."

"Yes, but love addles the mind."

That, Nathalie could personally attest to.

"Tonight has been a surprising pleasure," Gabriel said.

Nathalie quirked a brow. "Really? You looked rather stressed at some points."

"You've become too attuned to me."

She hummed. "Hazards of working closely for a man for, oh, how many years?"

"Too many."

"And hardly any, it seems."

Gabriel hummed his agreement. "Time seems to have gone far too quickly for my liking."

"The product of playing supervillain for a several years."

His expression fell, and Nathalie quickly backtracked. "I'm sorry—"

"Don't apologize," he interrupted. "That was fair, as much as it hurt."

Nathalie was silent.

"And it's also the reason I'm anxious to change that."

She met his gaze again, and suddenly wished she hadn't. "Well," she struggled to get out. "I'm sure Adrien enjoys having his father back."

He nodded before glancing over at his son and future daughter-in-law. But he quickly turned his attention back to her, and in an instant, Nathalie knew where this conversation was heading.

"And you, Nathalie," he whispered. "What do you think about the change?"

She took a deep breath. "Gabriel," she whispered on air. "I…"

He held her tighter.

And she couldn't finish.

"Give me a chance," he asked.

The next two dance steps found them closer than ever, bodies pressed close and clinging tightly. "Okay."


	5. Chapter 5

"I'm going to propose."

Gabriel paused at his son's sudden admission before slowly setting down his glass of wine. His son was sitting in the chair next to his, looking somewhat anxious for a response.

"I… can't say I'm fully surprised," Gabriel finally said. "It's clear your relationship with Miss Dupain-Cheng has grown considerably stronger."

Adrien gave a half smile. "I just wanted to let you know."

"I appreciate it," Gabriel said, letting a short silence slip between them. "And, I approve."

Gabriel watched Adrien's posture relax, his shoulders easing and smile grow wider.

"Would you like me to call my jeweler?" Gabriel asked. "I may approve, but I will not have the media speculating over you walking into a jewelry shop."

"I would appreciate that, Father," he said.

"However, there is one thing I would like before you propose."

Adrien's expression grew serious. "What is it?"

"May I be allowed to meet Miss Dupain-Cheng's parents first?"

Adrien responded with a half-cringe, half-grin and a blush. "Yes, we'll set that up."

* * *

In the handful of months they had been dating, Nathalie was surprised at just how truly affectionate Gabriel could be. It wasn't large sweeping gestures, but the little things such as him sneaking up behind her, placing his hands on her hips and hovering his head over her shoulder.

She truly loved the intimacy of such simple things.

"Adrien recently informed he he's going to propose."

Nathalie smiled. "I can't say I'm surprised," she quietly replied.

"It still surprised me."

She took a partial step backwards, her back now leaning against his chest. He set his chin down on her shoulder but never moved his hands. "He's growing up," she answered.

"I know," Gabriel said. "And I have to let him."

She smirked. "Harder than you thought it would be?"

He hummed.

She reached up to put her hand on his cheek. "I'm proud of you for encouraging him."

Gabriel moved his hand from her waist to her wrist, holding her hand there so he could press a kiss to her palm. Despite the gesture being small, her heart raced. Those affectionate ways of his may be subtle, but they still did things to her. More than he may realize.

"Adrien set up a dinner so I could meet the Dupain-Chengs," Gabriel said, releasing her completely and walking back to his desk. "I hope you will join me."

Despite missing his presence, Nathalie pretended it didn't affect her. "They are aware I would be coming?"

"They said Adrien's parents could come," he said, nothing out of the ordinary besides the faintest of blushes on his cheekbones. "Therefore, since you have been like a mother figure to him, I asked if it would be all right to bring you to the dinner. I have been given confirmation that it is perfectly acceptable from all parties involved."

A soft smile graced Nathalie's face. "Then, I would be honored."

* * *

It was a surprise to no one that when Adrien proposed, Marinette said yes. Of course, the two love birds were now in the engaged-to-be-wed bliss of wedding planning and the like, so that meant they weren't fully careful about the press. Meaning Nathalie had her work cut out with answering the questions and quelling ridiculous rumors and keeping tabs on the tabloids.

She settled back in her chair, allowing her eyes to rest for a mere moment before going back to work.

Of course, it was hard to open her eyes after said 'mere moment' so she allowed herself another. Only to be surprised by hands at her shoulders.

"Sorry," Gabriel said. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, it's fine," she dismissed. "I meant to get back to this."

Gabriel hummed, not removing his hands from her shoulder and instead massaging them. "Adrien and Marinette giving you a headache?"

Nathalie sighed, resigning herself to receive a shoulder rub from Gabriel. "No, the press is."

Again, Gabriel hummed. "I never understood what the appeal of obviously fabricated rumors were."

"Are you talking about the article saying it's a shotgun wedding?"

"You do have it up in front of you."

Nathalie sighed. "I don't either. There are far more interesting things to cover than this. But for some reason, this sells."

Gabriel hummed. "Can I interest you in a lunch break?"

"I have work to do."

"Let me rephrase," Gabriel said, leaning closer so his lips were close to her ear. "Take a break and have lunch with me."

Nathalie couldn't help but smirk. "All right."

* * *

Adrien and Marinette's wedding was quickly approching. The enamored duo decided that they wanted to be married as soon as possible, and so, a three-month engagement it was. They'd done well to breeze through quite a bit, having an organized schedule that Gabriel was certain Nathalie had a hand in.

And speaking of Nathalie and marriage…

Gabriel caught Adrien right before the young man could slip out the door. "Adrien, can I have a quick word with you?"

Adrien stopped. "As long as it's short," he said. "I… actually, Marinette and I had planned to look at apartments together today."

Gabriel had to pause at that. It took a moment for him to absorb that Adrien had grown up. He was getting married and moving out. Where did the time go? What happened to the little boy that used to run around the house?

"It will be short," Gabriel assured.

With a nod, Adrien followed his father into his office.

"What about?" Adrien asked as Gabriel shut the door.

"Since you have to leave, I cannot beat around the bush," Gabriel began as he took a seat in his office chair. "If I were to remarry, how would you feel about that?"

Adrien's eyes widened. "Are you thinking of marrying Nathalie?"

Gabriel gave a single nod.

"That's great!" Adrien said, smile splitting his face. "Why did you think you needed to ask me? Wouldn't that make you happy?"

"I've done a lot of things in this world to make me happy, but that doesn't necessarily mean others approve of those choices."

"Yeah, so what?" Adrien asked.

Gabriel paused at Adrien's quick dismissal. "I simply didn't want to ruin our relationship again by doing something you wouldn't approve of," Gabriel said. "You are my son. I have put you last far too much in my life already."

It was clear his words surprised Adrien, but Adrien eventually gave him a smile, one that almost hurt because of how much it reminded him of Emilie. "I really appreciate it, father," Adrien said, approaching the desk and sitting in the chair across from him. "Like, thank you. I… I really like being able to have you back in my life. After mom died… things were rough, but now you've changed and I grew up and we're able to be a family again. I really like it. But, then again, I'm grown up. I'm going to be married soon enough. You don't have to live your life around me anymore."

"I know," Gabriel said. "But I wanted to know your thoughts on the matter. Particularly since we both miss your mother."

Adrien sighed. "I think that if it were anyone other than Nathalie, I might be forcing myself to be more enthusiastic than I actually felt."

Gabriel quirked a brow.

"It's Nathalie," Adrien said as though that was an explanation. "Nathalie who has basically been here forever. Who put up with you and me and is still here. I know she cares about both of us, and I care a lot about her, and you… I mean, you two have been dating. Obviously, you love her. And so, I'm actually really happy that you… you're thinking of being happy again, so… yeah. I'm happy for you. If it were anyone else, it would depend, but Nathalie…" Adrien shook his head. "Nathalie is amazing. You don't have to ask about her."

Gabriel smiled. An honest-to-goodness smile. "Thank you for that, Adrien. I won't hold you up any longer. Tell Marinette Nathalie and I said hello, and I wish you two the best of luck on your search."

"Thank you, father," Adrien said, standing. "Will do, and I really appreciate it."

* * *

Gabriel was plotting something. She knew it. He'd grown secretive and quiet. Most people probably wouldn't pick it up, but Nathalie did. She didn't exactly want to bother Adrien at the moment since he was moving out and into his and Marinette's new apartment. It was just days until their wedding and everything was running smoothly for them.

But she'd corner Adrien at some point and demand just what was going on with his father. Someone had to know what was going on with Gabriel, and that either meant her or Adrien. And since it wasn't her, Adrien had to know.

* * *

"Nathalie is getting suspicious," Adrien told his dad over the phone.

"Trust me, I know."

"Will you just do it already?"

"Not until after your wedding."

Adrien rolled his eyes. "Okay. But do it soon. She cornered me today, and I don't know if she bought my lie."

Gabriel groaned. "Thank you, Adrien. I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

The wedding was over, and Gabriel was seeing Nathalie home.

"You look tired," he commented.

"I wasn't even the bride, yet it was such a long day," Nathalie responded. "Making sure everything was in place and went off without a hitch. Adrien and Marinette were clearly happy, which was all I hoped for for them, but the wedding… it was quite a hassle for something that should be so simple. Particularly when the press almost crashed the event."

Gabriel hummed. "A truly unfortunate event."

"At least Adrien and Marinette were oblivious to it."

"Yes. Thankfully."

A silence slipped between them.

"I'm happy for them, though," Nathalie said. "Even though the day was stressful."

"As much as it pains me to admit it, I'm still rattled."

Nathalie smirked. "That Adrien is old enough to get married?"

Gabriel gave a single nod. "Incredible, the time I missed with my son by playing the villain."

Nathalie reached over. "You gave that up, though," she reminded. "You could have ruined any relationship with your son, and instead, you have one with him. Furthermore, he's proud of you as a father."

"Shocking," Gabriel said. "Considering my failures."

Nathalie patted his knee. "You redeemed yourself, and I know you will continue doing so."

Gabriel placed a hand over hers. "Thank you, Nathalie. For everything. I certainly don't deserve it."

With a smile, she flipped her hand over so she could hold his. "You're very welcome."

* * *

Gabriel shouldn't be nervous. He ran a fashion empire. He had a grown son who just got married. He had already proposed to a woman before, for heaven's sake.

And yet, as Gabriel stood staring at a very simple engagement ring, his hands were sweaty and his heart was racing with nerves. It was pathetic.

Even more so when his son called in the middle of his honeymoon just to yell at Gabriel to propose already.

Therefore, so as not to embarrass himself or admit to his son that he had cold feet, Gabriel proposed after dinner.

"Nathalie, will you marry me?"

No fuss; no pomp and circumstance. A simple question that followed up a conversation after dinner had been finished.

Nathalie looked at the simple ring, then at Gabriel, clearly surprised.

Gabriel simply waited for an answer.

"Yes."

* * *

"No wedding," Gabriel clarified for the second time.

Nathalie nodded. "I never particularly cared for them. I've been the bridesmaid in a few of them, and that's enough for me. Furthermore, the press is bound to discover it and then we have another debacle on our hands."

"True," Gabriel said. "I have no issue with you not wanting a wedding. I am simply ensuring that it is what _you_ want."

"I would honestly rather elope," she assured. "And then we can invite Adrien and Marinette over for dinner and celebrate with them."

And that was exactly what they did. As Nathalie expected, it was easier than planning a wedding, and the press never caught wind of it. What Nathalie did _not_ expect was just how nervous she would be. She was good at schooling her features, but inside, she felt like she could combust. Her heart was racing; she was sure her cheeks were pink. Her hands were shaky, and her knees were threatening to give out at any moment.

And then when the officiant gave the decree of "you may now kiss the bride," Nathalie felt like she could pass out. She was married.

Married.

Was this what being in love was like? Was this what every bride felt on her wedding day? It was completely irrational.

Yet, here she was, hardly confident as Gabriel kissed her.

She inwardly chastised herself for being so pathetic. She was not the kind of weak woman who fell into her husband's arms so easily. But today, she felt like she could.

That night, they did celebrate with a dinner that included Adrien, Marinette, and Marinette's parents. They were a truly kind couple who Nathalie enjoyed being around, and they were kind enough to prepare a feast for the newlyweds.

And when that was all over, there was one more thing that Nathalie fretted over.

The wedding night.

"Are you all right, my dear?" Gabriel asked, his hands resting on her arms as he pulled her close.

"I'm being irrational," she dismissed. "That's all."

"What about?"

"It's nothing."

"Considering you admitted your irrationality, I'm guessing it's not."

He had her there. "The wedding night," she quietly admitted. "Had you told me before that I'd be nervous about it, I would have scoffed. Surely if a woman is to be married, she accepts that she's ready to lay with her husband."

Gabriel chuckled. "Nathalie, that is common. If you think I was an exception in my first marriage, you are wrong."

She sighed. "Still… I'm sorry; I'm being completely irrational."

Gabriel leaned over to kiss her cheek. "There's no shame in it, Nathalie. It's not irrational."

"If I wasn't being irrational, I would have let you take my dress off by now," she muttered.

"The night is young, Nathalie," Gabriel whispered, his fingers reaching for the zipper on her dress. The way his fingers brushed her spine in the process only caused her to shiver. "Whatever pace we need to take the night at, I will let you set."

Her smile was genuine, even though she still felt nervous. "I know. I trust you, Gabriel. Which is one of the reasons why my being irrational is so frustrating."

Gabriel slid his hand into hers. "Nathalie," he said, "Do you trust me to follow my lead?"

Her heart was positively _pounding_ out of her chest. As nervous as she was, there really was only one way to answer him. "Yes."

* * *

How the guardian of the miraculous found him, Gabriel wasn't sure. Nor was he sure how said man got into the event he was at. It was an exclusive event for the fashion designers who participated in a national fashion show. Needless to say, spying the short, Asian man in the corner of the ballroom was not something Gabriel expected to see at said event.

Gabriel excused himself from Nathalie's side to approach the man.

"Gabriel," the guardian greeted with a smile. "I hear that you've gotten married recently."

"I did," Gabriel curtly replied.

"And," the short, Asian man continued. "That your relationship with your son has improved drastically, as well."

Gabriel simply quirked a brow. "How did you get into this event?"

"I have my ways," the man said with a wink. "But I simply couldn't help but want to check up on the man formerly known as 'Hawkmoth.' He seems to be living life once again."

"What do you mean?" Gabriel challenged.

The man quirked a knowing brow. "It's quite a change, don't you think? From walking down the path to destruction to living redeemed only once you surrendered your greatest vice?"

Gabriel's eyes widened slightly at it being put so bluntly.

"Do you think?" the man continued. "That you would have a relationship with your son had you continued holding onto the moth miraculous? Or been close enough to him that you would know his wife so well? Or her parents? And what about the former peacock miraculous holder? Would you have been able to marry her had both of you kept clinging to such dangerous vices?"

Gabriel knew the answer to all of that. But admitting it freely was another thing.

However, the man seemed to realize Gabriel's answer even though he was silent. "Are you proud of your choices, Mr. Agreste? Do you regret surrendering?"

While silent for a moment, Gabriel knew he couldn't deny the answer. "No," he admitted. "Not in the slightest."


End file.
